Top 10 - November 2021
- Anxious Pleasers S/T – This debut release from some Hamilton, Ontario punks when I first put it on metaphorically grabbed me around the neck, threw a bottle at someone and dragged me into a pile of friends covered in sweat and beer. You can’t imagine the size of the smile I had. There is no info I can find whatsoever on this band, which makes them probably even better. If you like The Saints, and why wouldn’t you, you’ll love this. They cover The Pagans which means they’re even more amazing. Now do yourself a favour, go to the shop, buy the shittiest, cheaper beer you can find, go home, huff some glue, chase it with a case of said cheap beer, destroy your room and live with vigour for a minute.
- Copenhagen, Denmark – This place is essentially perfect. Even the middling classes, the notion of poor largely engineered out of existence, dress, live and eat better than the remainder of the planet in the world’s happiest country according to various polls. Even as there are about two hours of daylight when I was in mid November, it just felt a level of liveable not known in many non-Scandic places. Being there a couple week ago was like travelling to 2018, otherwise amazing. Boasting almost 90% COVID vaccination rates, there are next to no restrictions necessary. Imagine that. You may notice why it’s number two and not one. That is because it doesn’t get you out of bed in the morning like the Anxious Pleasers do and they never see the sun or changes in geographic altitude.
- The Saints “(I’m) Stranded) – Speaking of amazing punk rock and roll, this will give you something to live for like it did when you were 21 and drunk most of the time.
- Monsieur Doumani – Cypriot trio with trombone twisting out the bouzouki and rebetiko in new, weird and wonderful ways
- Historical fiction
- How Race was Made (Scene on Radio, PRX)
- Gigs in people’s houses at the end of your street – I didn’t even go but this is the best thing ever. What’s possibly even better is that Pinelina Dnevna Soba (Pinela’s Living Room) isn’t some punk squat or university flop house, it’s a family home where they also book various folk-inspired acts from across Europe
- Dinner DAO – This is easily the most approachable and dare I say understandable example of a decentralised autonomous organisation
- Not freelancing
- Wovenhand